Drought and fire cause major concern
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Hey there, this is Katie Garner from News4JAX’s Weather Authority with your latest update on what’s happening across South Georgia and North Florida.
We need to talk about the drought and what it’s doing to us right now. According to our Exact Track 4D radar and the latest Drought Monitor, we are still 15 to 25 inches in a deficit, depending on where you are.
Some showers rolled through parts of St. Augustine down to Palm Coast, but most of it already dissipated. Up in Macclenny and beyond, it wasn’t enough to really help with fire relief—though every drop does count. Still, we’re just chipping away at a much bigger drought problem.
If you’ve noticed thick smoke, that’s from the active fire burning right now, especially visible on our recent maps. I want to extend some real admiration for everyone out there working hard to keep these fires at bay—conditions are tough.
Winds make fire spread likely
Here’s another piece of the puzzle: strong winds are making things even messier. Wind gusts are currently running in the 20 to 30 mph range by the latest Exact Track 4D data.
Gusty winds are a big deal with active fires because they can easily change the direction of the smoke. Worse, wind can toss embers around and spark new fires. And unfortunately, wind gusts aren’t expected to drop much over the next few days.
Rain possible—here’s the forecast
Let’s talk temperatures and rain chances. Right now, we’re seeing readings in the 60s and 70s. Highs are expected to climb into the 70s, then 80s, and even hit the 90s in spots.
What could really help us out is some rain, and I’m happy to say I’ve upped the rain chances for Saturday to 50 percent. There’s a 40 percent shot at more rain Sunday too. If we get some real measurable rain, that will be great news for everyone dealing with drought and fire worries—but as always, we’ll believe it when we see it.
For some of you, rain totals have been hit or miss—some spots got a trace, others just under an inch. We’ll keep tracking it every step of the way with our Weather Authority team.
Seen anything in your area? Share your weather photos and fire updates with us on SnapJAX at news4jax.com/snapjax!